We are excited to premieres “Seven,” the final track from Hold Me Closer.
It’s a gripping, late-night cut built on frantic percussion and spectral melodies—a track that bridges club intensity with intimate introspection. “Seven” offers a powerful glimpse into Nantaya’s fearless approach to sound and storytelling.
LISTEN TO THE PREMIERE HERE:
The EP features four original tracks: “Hold Me Closer,” “Taste Yourself,” “Cut You Open,” and “Seven.” From the dancefloor to the inner self, each track explores tension, vulnerability, and power through Nantaya’s distinct techno-pop lens. The release is mastered by Manufaktur Studio, with striking artwork by Carlos Cordero-Rosales.
Hold Me Closer will be available digitally on May 30, 2025, via RAW.
We caught up with Alex Nantaya to dive into the inspiration behind her haunting new track “Seven,” the emotional tension that fuels her upcoming EP Hold Me Closer.
Hi Alex, it’s great to have you featured in our magazine! Could you start by introducing yourself to our readers?
Hi! I’m Alex Nantaya, singer/producer/DJ based between Paris and Switzerland. I jumped into the DJ world right after the pandemic and haven’t looked back since. When I’m not in the studio or behind the decks you’ll either find me on a photoshoot or sipping on an ice latte creating something!
What’s the story or emotion behind your track “Seven”?
The track was named after the film Seven, which left a strong impression on me with its dark, psychological atmosphere. The story follows a serial killer who stages each murder around one of the seven deadly sins, creating this disturbing yet captivating descent into human darkness. I wanted the break in my track to reflect this eerie, otherworldly tension that echoes that same feeling; like you’re being pulled into something heavy, uncomfortable, yet hypnotic. It’s not a direct retelling, but more of an emotional translation of that oppressive, almost otherworldly aura. In the production, I’ve slightly detuned the synths and vocals to help express this unsettling feeling while balancing the energy with the driving drums.
Your EP blends the energy of techno with pop and emotional depth. How did you manage to strike that balance?
One thing I’ve really focused on in my creative process is listening to my intuition. We often get stuck in our heads, trying to calculate the next ‘right’ move, but I’ve learned to let go and let the body and emotion guide the music too. I’ve tried sticking to a single genre in the past, but I always end up blending in elements from the music I love: pop, R&B, and vocal-based styles. I naturally start improvising toplines over demos, and whether they become synth melodies, rhythmic elements, or vocal parts, it’s all part of one fluid process for me. I also have a background in pop vocal performance, I did a bachelor degree in vocal performance! I think that emotional depth and melodic instinct comes through in the EP.
You come from a classical music background—how has that influenced your approach to electronic and techno music?
I studied classical music for years as a pianist, which gave me a solid foundation in theory, discipline, and the habit of long practice hours. When I first discovered electronic music, I was in awe—I couldn’t understand how it was made, and that mystery drew me in. Over time, I realized that its simplicity in arrangement, harmony, and composition wasn’t a limitation or lack of formal training. It was a deliberate choice that opens up space to explore tone, texture, and timbre in ways classical music often doesn’t. That shift in perspective was huge for me. Coming from classical music, I was trained to be very ‘gentle’ with sound and precise with every note. It took me a while to accept that in electronic music, it’s okay to distort, to break things, and to not always know every detail( something my perfectionism had to learn to let go of). Interestingly, I now see that many contemporary classical composers are also working with electronic processes and aiming for similar sonic explorations.
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